Tutorial on Painting Glazed Ceramic Tiles

by Melissa Rae

If you've grown tired of your old ceramic tile, you can update it without hiring expensive outside help. Epoxy paint comes in a wide variety of colors and adheres well to smooth glazed tiles. You can paint most types of glazed ceramic tiles, except for ones that are exposed to water on a regular basis, such as those in the shower or bath. Kids may even want to join in and help with the project, which takes less than 2 days total to complete, including the drying and curing time.

Prepare the Tile

Open any windows or doors to ventilate the room.

Put on a pair of rubber gloves and clean the tile that you want to paint with a scrub brush and mild abrasive cleanser. Rinse the tile thoroughly and dry it with a lint-free towel.

Put on a pair of protective goggles and gently sand the tile with 100-grit sandpaper to dull the surface. Wipe away the dust with an acetone-dampened cloth.

Apply masking tape to any areas that you don't want to paint. Place drop cloths on the floor to protect it from paint and primer.

Prime and Paint

Mix the primer thoroughly with a paint stirrer and pour in into a tray. Apply a narrow strip of primer to any corners and edges with a small paintbrush. Apply a thin layer of primer to the rest of the tile with a paint roller. Allow the primer to dry for 3 hours or longer.

Prepare the epoxy paint according to the manufacturer's instructions and pour it into a clean paint tray. Apply the paint with a clean roller, following the same method you used to apply the primer. Allow the paint to dry for at least 1 day.

Remove the masking tape and drop cloths.

Items you will need

Rubber gloves

Scrub brush

Mild abrasive cleanser

Lint-free towel

Protective goggles

100-grit sandpaper

Cloth

Acetone

Masking tape

Drop cloths

High-adhesion primer

Paint stirrers

Paint trays

High quality paintbrushes

Paint rollers

Epoxy paint kit

Warning

Keep kids and pets out of the area while the tiles dry.

References

About the Author

Melissa Rae has been a writer since 2008, specializing in home-and-garden, business, technology and education topics. Rae holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Herzing University.